Will this be the year for Sasha Cohen?

[SkateFan4Life]

I had the strongest hunch last season that Sasha would win Nationals and Worlds. There was no doubt in my mind. Usually my hunches are right on; I was very confused when this one was wrong. I am going to try not have hunches anymore .

I had the same hunches last year, based on all the media hype about Sasha. How many times has she appeared on the cover of major figure skating magazines? EVERYBODY, it seemed, had crowned her the next queen of ice skating, and, well, I went along for the ride. It was not to be.

IMHO, Sasha will not win a US title until Michelle Kwan retires from eligible competition. Kwan has a lock on that title. As for the Worlds, there are too many other skaters right now - Kwan, Arakawa, etc. - who skate well under pressure - and Cohen won't win that title, either, unless she learns to triumph over her competitive nerves.

[Fossi]

I'm sorry. I tend to think of it as a "fluke" or a skate of a lifetime for Sasha when she skates clean. She just doesn't do it often enough. Once? I hope she proves me wrong someday, but everyone always calls Sarah's clean skate at SLC a "fluke," and I think Sasha's clean skate was more a a "fluke" than Sarah's victory.

[berthes ghost]

I'm sorry. I tend to think of it as a "fluke" or a skate of a lifetime for Sasha when she skates clean. She just doesn't do it often enough. Once? I hope she proves me wrong someday, but everyone always calls Sarah's clean skate at SLC a "fluke," and I think Sasha's clean skate was more a a "fluke" than Sarah's victory.

Apples and Oranges.

Sarah was very consistant and skated clean on many occasions. She was however, never picked as a favorite to win and often finished behind other skaters despite skating clean. Therefor, her winning was considered a "fluke" by many, not her skating clean.

Sasha, OTOH, almost never, if ever, skates clean, yet she is often hyped as the favorite to win. ITA that a clean skate from Sasah would be a "fluke" in that it's not her usual performance, but I wouldn't call a win by Sasha a "fluke" as she goes into almost every comp these days as the favorite to win despite not being able to pull it off.

[Joesitz]

I really can't write Sasha off for being inconsistent, and by the way, she is not always inconsistent. She has had some wonderful skates since she jumped on the scene back in Cleveland,. Nicks and TT were not able to get her full consistency. She isn't doing anything not well rehearsed to to have her fumble. I believe it has to be a mindset. Let's not only give Sasha a chance, but let's give Robin a chance to see if they can work this mindset out. Personally, I really don't think she needs a pep talk. I think it would more to her advantage to relax and just feel good about doing the things she can do and not worry about the skating of others.

IMO, Sasha is a very good skater but she should be an excellent competitor too, but I don't see it yet. I think this season will be very telling.

Joe

[Lucy25]

[QUOTE=berthes ghost]Apples and Oranges.
Sarah was very consistant and skated clean on many occasions. She was however, never picked as a favorite to win and often finished behind other skaters despite skating clean. Therefor, her winning was considered a "fluke" by many, not her skating clean.
QUOTE]

Agreed. I think most people forget how consistant Sarah really was. Technically perfect? No, but she was very consistant with her jumps, especially her 3/3's. I know people are going to think, "Yeah, but they were always underrotated!", but hey, she was doing them none the less.

[euterpe]

What bothers me most about Sasha is that no matter how well she has done in the SP or preliminary rounds of a major event, in the FS a different Sasha appears on the ice: a scared, timid Sasha who skates without conviction or spark. In a non-major event (e.g. a cheesefest or a GP event), she isn't nearly as up tight as she is in a major like the US or World championship.

This has been true regardless of her coach of the moment, and I'm not convinced Robin can make a difference. It is still Sasha who is out there on the ice---alone.